[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 106 (Monday, June 25, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S4373]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 3075. Mr. SANDERS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by him to the bill H.R. 2, to provide for the reform and continuation
of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture
through fiscal year 2023, and for other purposes; which was ordered to
lie on the table; as follows:
After section 4112, insert the following:
SEC. 4113. PARTICIPATION OF PUERTO RICO AND AMERICAN SAMOA IN
SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--
(1) Definitions.--Section 3 of the Food and Nutrition Act
of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012) is amended--
(A) in subsection (r), by inserting ``the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, American Samoa,'' after ``Guam,''; and
(B) in subsection (u)(3), by inserting ``the Commonwealth
of Puerto Rico, American Samoa,'' after ``Guam,''.
(2) Eligible households.--Section 5 of the Food and
Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2014) is amended--
(A) in subsection (b), in the first sentence, by inserting
``the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa,'' after
``Guam,'';
(B) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ``and Guam,'' and
inserting ``Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and
American Samoa,''; and
(C) in subsection (e)--
(i) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ``the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, American Samoa,'' after ``Hawaii,'' each place
it appears; and
(ii) in paragraph (6)(B), by inserting ``the Commonwealth
of Puerto Rico, American Samoa,'' after ``Guam,''.
(3) Effective date.--
(A) In general.--The amendments made by this subsection
shall be effective with respect to the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico or American Samoa, as applicable, on the date described
in subparagraph (B) if the Secretary submits to Congress a
certification under subsection (f)(3) of section 19 of the
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2028).
(B) Date described.--The date referred to in subparagraph
(A) is, with respect to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or
American Samoa, the date established by the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico or American Samoa, respectively, in the
applicable plan of operation submitted to the Secretary under
subsection (f)(1)(A) of section 19 of the Food and Nutrition
Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2028).
(b) Transition of Puerto Rico and American Samoa to
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.--Section 19 of the
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2028) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``(f) Transition of Puerto Rico and American Samoa to
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.--
``(1) Submission of plan by puerto rico and american
samoa.--
``(A) Submission and review of plan of operation.--If a
State agency is designated by a governmental entity and
submits to the Secretary a request to participate in the
supplemental nutrition assistance program and a plan of
operation under section 11 (including a date on which the
governmental entity will begin to participate in the
supplemental nutrition assistance program), the Secretary
shall determine whether that governmental entity and State
agency satisfy the requirements that would apply under this
Act for approval of that plan if the governmental entity were
1 of the several States.
``(B) Determination by secretary.--
``(i) Approval.--The Secretary shall approve a plan of
operation under subparagraph (A) if the governmental entity
and State agency satisfy the requirements described in that
subparagraph.
``(ii) Disapproval.--If the Secretary does not approve a
plan of operation under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall
provide to the governmental entity a statement that describes
each requirement that is not satisfied by the plan.
``(2) Approval of retail food stores.--If the Secretary
approves a plan of operation under paragraph (1)(B)(i), the
Secretary shall accept from retail food stores located in the
applicable governmental entity applications under section 9
for approval to participate in the supplemental nutrition
assistance program.
``(3) Submission of certification to congress.--The
Secretary shall submit to Congress a certification that a
governmental entity qualifies to participate in the
supplemental nutrition assistance program as if the
governmental entity were a State if the Secretary--
``(A) approves the plan of operation under paragraph
(1)(B)(i); and
``(B) approves the applications under paragraph (2) of a
number of retail food stores located in the governmental
entity requesting to participate in the supplemental
nutrition assistance program that would be sufficient to
satisfy the requirements of this Act if the governmental
entity were 1 of the several States.
``(4) Cash benefits provided in puerto rico.--As part of a
plan of operation submitted under paragraph (1)(A), the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico may submit to the Secretary a
request to provide benefits under the supplemental nutrition
assistance program in the form of cash.
``(5) Family market program in puerto rico.--As part of a
plan of operation submitted under paragraph (1)(A),
notwithstanding subsection (g), the Secretary shall allow the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to continue to carry out, under
the supplemental nutrition assistance program, the Family
Market Program established under this section.
``(6) Authorization of appropriations.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out
this subsection and the amendments made by section 2 of the
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 such sums as are
necessary for fiscal year 2019, to remain available until
expended.
``(g) Termination of Effectiveness.--
``(1) In general.--Subsections (a) through (e) shall cease
to be effective with respect to the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico or American Samoa, as applicable, on the date described
in paragraph (2) if the Secretary submits to Congress a
certification under subsection (f)(3).
``(2) Date described.--The date referred to in paragraph
(1) is, with respect to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or
American Samoa, the date established by the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico or American Samoa, respectively, in the
applicable plan of operation submitted to the Secretary under
subsection (f)(1)(A).''.
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